The North American native pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a
temperate tree fruit in the mostly tropical custard apple family, Annonaceae. Pawpaw is
also a common name for papaya (Carica papaya), a tropical fruit in the family
Caricaceae. The two fruits are very different from each other, but some pawpaws do have a
papaya-like flavor. For further description of pawpaw, see "Pawpaw
Description and Nutritional Information".

Pawpaws have a creamy, custard-like flesh with a complex
combination of tropical fruit flavors. They are most commonly described as tasting like
banana combined with mango, pineapple, melon, berries, or other fruit. There is a
considerable variety of flavors among wild pawpaws, ranging from awful to sublime. Most
pawpaws taste good, some are truly wonderful, and a few are better for throwing than for
eating.

All of the named cultivars produce tasty fruit, and different
people will have different preferences. We hope to conduct taste panels in the future to
develop good descriptions of the flavors of various pawpaws.

Ripe pawpaws should give when squeezed gently, as ripe peaches
do, and can be picked easily with a gentle tug. Ripe pawpaws usually give off a
powerful fruity aroma, as well. Color change is generally not a reliable indicator of
ripeness.

If your main interest is production of quality fruit, grafted
trees are the best choice. Seed obtained from high quality fruit may also produce trees
with good fruit, but quality will vary considerably from seedling to seedling. If you're
not sure pawpaws will grow in your area, try planting a large number of seeds from a
climate zone similar to yours, and you can select the seedlings that do well in your
location. Trees that produce disappointing fruit can be grafted later with a superior
variety.

We hope that after several years (perhaps by 2005) of data
collection and analysis in the Regional Variety Trials we will be able to make specific
regional recommendations. In the meantime, our best recommendation is that you choose
seeds or cultivars that were selected in a climate zone similar to your location.
The cultivar list in the
"Pawpaw Planting Guide" has information on the origins of some of the cultivars.

Yes. Pawpaws are generally self-incompatible, so you need two
trees for cross-pollination. Plant at least two different cultivars or seedlings. Two
grafted trees of the same cultivar will not cross-pollinate. (One cultivar, Sunflower, has
been reported to be self-compatible, but this has not been verified scientifically.)

Pawpaws will grow in anything from full sun to fairly heavy
shade. Light to moderate shade is ideal for establishing young seedlings and newly
transplanted trees. Fruit production will be greatest on mature trees in full sun, while
very few fruits will be produced by heavily shaded trees.

Transplanting pawpaw trees is difficult. Pawpaws have a deep
taproot, and great care must be taken to prevent damage to it and to the rest of the root
system. Dig as deep as possible, and keep the root ball intact. After transplanting, prune
top growth in proportion with the remaining root mass. (I.e., if one third of the root
system was lost or damaged, trim off about one third of the top growth so the remaining
roots will be able to support the tree.)

Root suckers often don't have enough of a root system to support
themselves. You can try to encourage development of an independent root system by cutting
partway through the connection with the mother tree some weeks prior to transplanting.

As far as we know, definitive studies on chilling requirements
have not been done on pawpaw. Current estimates are from 400-1000 chilling hours. In
general, expect longer chilling times for Northern adapted selections, and shorter times
for Southern adapted trees.

Starting from seed, a pawpaw tree normally will begin flowering
and fruiting in 4-8 years, depending on seed quality, suitability of the location, the
care the tree receives, and its genetic makeup (precocity). A grafted tree can begin
flowering in 2-3 years after planting.